Melbourne's meatiest event is back, Hello Meatstock

Big Moe Cason and Hillbilly Wes. These two smokin’ Pitmasters will be heading to Melbourne with the festival to run barbecue classes and demonstrations for both competitors and the public. Big Moe Cason is a favourite on TV’s BBQ Pitmasters and has appeared as a judge and finalist on the US hit show, competing against some of the biggest names in barbecue worldwide. Big Moe has over 130 barbecue competitions under his belt. “What initially was a hobby is a way of life. I am passionate about maintaining the integrity of BBQ by cooking with authenticity, using simple recipes and honoring the history of BBQ,” states Big Moe.“I can’t wait for Meatstock Melbourne! It’s known as the food capital of Australia, so I can’t wait to dig in’. Australia’s celebrity pitmaster and Good Food AU winner Hillbilly Wes will also be flying into Melbourne, all for the love of barbecue. For Wes the meat sweats started in Lockhart, Texas, the Barbecue Capital of America, where he was mesmerized by the real deal Texan Barbecue. After travelling back and forth and working with some of the best Barbecue establishments in Austin, he set up his own restaurant, Bovine and Swine Barbecue Co in Sydney. “Last year’s Meastock Melbourne was rocking! It was great to see the barbecue movement in full swing in Australia’s foodie state. The whole weekend was jammed packed with brisket, burgers and great Aussie bands – some of my favourite things!” enthused Hillbilly Wes. Over 50 teams from across Australia and counting will be battling it out at the second Meatstock Melbourne barbecue wars for $8,000 in cash and prizes and more importantly to be crowned the best barbecuers in the state. Over 20 butchers will also be going head to head to win Melbourne’s best butcher. Plus for the first time Culley’s King of the Que – a competition using a traditional barbecue to find the nation’s best Burger, Wings, Steak and Bacon. The pro-protein festival is taking place in Melbourne from the 17th-18th March, featuring bands and barbecues, butchers and bourbon and plenty of beer. The flaming hot, two day lineup includes competitions such as the ‘Barbecue and Butcher Wars’, as well as demonstrations and workshops. The event is garnished with a backdrop of live bands, BBQ inspired food trucks and craft beer from Liberty Brewing. Tickets are available from www.meatstock.com.au and cost $35.00 per day or $55.00 for a weekend super pass, with children under 12 going free with every adult ticket purchased. ]]>